I'm of the opinion that things actually haven't gotten any worse over the years, there's just more of us and everyone's got a cell phone camera. Anyway, as far as your security situation goes, why not form an LLC or become official employees of the church organiztion? That way you've got some liability coverage. And why not have a uniformed security person at each entrance? The uniform can be anything from a tan blazer to a polo shirt with a logo. As long as it looks official, that type of visibility may be your first line of defense. I'm guessing someone with criminal intent is less likely to pick a target with visible security.